


Hypervigilance

by fudgebrowniee44



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Flashbacks, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rape Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 00:44:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9467807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fudgebrowniee44/pseuds/fudgebrowniee44
Summary: Set near the beginning of the series, Allura is dealing with frightening nightmares and symptoms of PTSD. After spending an unthinkable amount of time in her cryogenic slumber, memories of her past come spilling back, in unconventional ways. Allura has to come to terms with her father's death, the genocide of her people- and the abuse she suffered at the hands of Prince Lotor. Allura's in denial that she needs help, is much too stubborn to admit she has a weakness. But Coran and Shiro are there to help her, whether she wants it or not.Platonic Coran/Allura, Romantic Shiro/Allura in future chapters. Warnings for past emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.





	1. One

Allura knew there came responsibilities with being a princess. She had to be mature, graceful, elegant- but also commanding, leaderly, and confident. Thankfully, this all came quite naturally to her. Allura was quite content with her abilities as a ruler, she knew she had to put the needs of her people first, not let her emotions get the better of her, make decisions that could alter the future of her kingdom. It was a heavy burden, the weight of the fate of her people on her shoulders. But she was capable, she assured herself again and again. Although, there always was an aching feeling in the back of her mind that she would never live up to her father’s expectations. Not like she’d ever acknowledge that. She couldn’t waste her time on frivolities like self doubt. She needed to be stern, compassionate, caring, and levelheaded. She had to be there for the paladins, lead them to victory, make sure they were ready for battle. She couldn’t bother them with her own problems, she had to be there for them. 

 

It was slightly past midnight, Coran and the paladins had went to rest, all exhausted from a long day of training. Allura was sitting on her bed, rubbing her eyes. She was tired as well, desperately in need of sleep. The only thing was, she didn’t want to. She couldn’t bear another nightmare, lately they’ve become more vivid and… disturbing. All of them in uncanny detail and unsettling imagery. 

Ever since she awoke from her cryogenic sleep, she had trouble with actual sleeping. Allura found herself experiencing troubling dreams which kept her up at night. They were always about her past. She dreamt of her father, her kingdom, her people, all being wiped out by the Galra. Over ten thousand years spent in a deep slumber- and yet none of it spent coming to terms and mourning. It all had happened so fast, she remembered. Bright, flashing lights, the sounds of crashing buildings and bloodied Alteans screaming in peril, her father whispering his final “I love you”s. Nearly every night Allura woke up in a cold sweat, sobbing to herself. She was grateful her bedroom was far away from the paladin’s chambers, she couldn’t bare with the humiliation of them knowing their commander had to deal with something as trivial and childish as nightmares. 

She sighed, combing long fingers through her silky white hair. Her eyes were half lidded and bloodshot, she needed to sleep. She’d regret it in the morning and she knew she needed to be at her best, seeing as an attack on the castle could happen at any minute. Allura turned to her side and lay her head on the pillow beside her. 

They’re just dreams.

She had to get over it.

She’ll forget it in the morning anyway.

\-- 

She was alone, in a dark room. It had a foreign smell and something about it told every nerve in Allura’s body to run. She couldn’t move though. She panicked, struggling, only to find she was restrained against the wall. She breathed heavily, fear flooding her body. This was nothing like her other dreams, but something about it gave her a feeling of deja vu. She was here before- she could feel it..

A somewhat familiar figure appeared in the shadows, Allura’s eyes widened with fright, her arms and legs thrashing. 

“So excited…” It was a low, threatening voice. Although she recognized it, it made Allura feel like nothing good could come. She tried to speak, to demand to know what was going on, but before she could open her mouth a large hand forcefully slammed it shut, piercing yellow eyes making contact with her frightened blue ones. 

“There’s no need to open that mouth of yours, princess. We're going to destroy your home planet, everything you could possibly defend is lost.” The man hissed, a dreary light from above illuminating his features. He was a Galra, with long hair and a young face. He could even be the same age as her, which for some reason made Allura even more uncomfortable than she already was. “I’m glad we’re finally alone together,” He continued. “I’ve wanted to reunite you for a long time, you see. I’ve heard that you've become quite resilient. Is that true?” He moved in closer, his face inches from hers. Although they were eye to eye, it felt as if he were leering at her from above, looking down at her like an insect to be examined. 

"I wonder how much you could endure.." He lilted, his expression a mixture of curiosity and hunger. His thumb stroked her cheek, too affectionate for comfort. Allura jerked her head to the side, blushing. The Galra before her stepped back, his hands held up in defense. He still had a sinister smirk plastered on his face however. 

“Did that bother you? I would have thought you weren’t the type to get flustered easily, princess.” He chuckled, trying to sound more like a friend of hers rather than a captor. Allura regained her composure and took a deep breath, now was no time to be scared. 

“Who do you think you are? Release me immediately!” Allura shouted, trying to hide her fear. She furrowed her brows and gritted her teeth, she would never let a Galra see her as weak. The man cocked his head, eyebrows raised. 

“You mean to tell me you don’t even know your own childhood friend? I’m prince Lotor, of the Galra empire.” He spoke with contempt, eyeing her like she was a piece of trash that needed to be thrown out. Allura felt her heart skip a beat. Her eyes widened, she felt a flood of memories come rushing back to her.

“L- lotor?” Allura stuttered, her throat feeling dry all of a sudden. He smiled when he saw her reaction, her confident facade fading. 

“That’s more like it. Know your place, Altean” Lotor grabbed her by the chin roughly, forcing her to look him in the eye. “You’ve been quite rude to me, and this is the first time we've seen each other in years. I say we should get to know each other better, catch up. We are both royalty, after all. We could have something in common.” His voice was soft and gentle, his eyes kind. The dreadful grin on his face however, told another story. Allura growled, and took advantage of his closeness to her. She butted her forehead against his, sending him sputtering to the floor. On the inside, Allura felt relief, but knew it wouldn’t last long.

“I could never have anything in common with a brute like you.” She kept a stern look on her face as he picked himself up, brushing himself off and fixing his hair. 

“You’re going to regret that, princess.” Lotor snarled, his fangs bared. The prince advanced towards her, planting his hand over her neck. Allura gagged, and continued to struggle against her restraints. He had a wild look in his eyes, almost feral. Allura felt her face tighten, she was running out of breath. 

 

She couldn’t breath. 

She couldn’t see. 

Everything went black, except for two glowing yellow eyes. 

Allura woke up, screaming. She was covered in sweat, her hair a mess. She wasn’t able to register what had happened- that it was only a dream. She jolted out of her bed when she heard something toppling over from the next room over, and Coran came running into her bedroom, awkwardly tripping over the rug and rushing to be by her side. 

 

“Princess! Was that you screaming?!” Coran shouted, his expression distressed and worried. Allura looked up, her face coated with tears streaming down her face. Coran gasped and fished a handkerchief out of his pajama pocket, and began wiping the tears from her face. “Are you alright princess? You sounded awful frightened!” Coran exclaimed, his eyebrows hitched upwards with concern. 

“I...I’m fine Coran. I’m sorry I woke you. I just.. Had a bad dream is all.” Allura choked out, trying to hold back tears. Coran sat her down on the bed and placed gentle hands on her shoulders in a reassuring motion. His touch much different than the harsh force Lotor used on her in her dream, which was concerningly lifelike. 

“A bad dream? Why, you haven’t had one of those since you were a little girl!” Coran continued gently patting away at the tears on her cheeks. Allura averted her gaze to the carpet, feeling ashamed. “What could you have possibly dreamed of to make you so distressed?” 

“Ah..” Allura began, her lips trembling, unable to comprehend why her dream was so vivid and realistic. She could still feel Lotor’s cold hand grabbing her cheek, his fingers squeezing her neck, his manic stare. 

“Allura?” Coran snapped her out of her trance, he leaned over to look at her, placing his hand on her knee. 

“...I.. seem to have forgotten. It was just a silly nightmare, I’m sorry to cause you worry Coran.” Allura took the handkerchief from him and finished wiping off the wetness from her face, her skin stinging sore. Coran raised a brow, getting the feeling Allura wasn’t quite telling the truth. 

 

“...Alright princess. I’ll go get you a glass of water, the sun hasn’t risen yet, so you should be getting back to sleep.” 

Allura nodded with a weak smile, hugging herself tight in her night gown. 

Coran soon came back with some water and a kiss on the forehead. Allura had managed to calm herself down- but couldn't get the nagging feeling that the dream she had was too graphic to be an ordinary nightmare. There was no way she could sleep again, the dream had shaken her, and the sudden memories of her childhood were haunting her. 

Lotor. 

He used to be her friend. 

\--

The next morning Allura could feel the sweat collecting at the base of her head, her body in tremors. She awoke not with a yell, but to find she was sobbing into her soaking wet pillow. She placed a hand above her eyes, trying to remember what happened last night after Coran came in. Was it another dream? Or was she simply fidgeting in her sleep? The princess let out a laborious sigh and changed into her dress. Looking at the clock, it seemed as if she had woken up much later that usual. Allura made her way down the corridor to see the paladins all had already awoken, helping themselves to what looked like a breakfast prepared by Hunk. 

"Hey Allura! It's not like you to sleep in so late!" Hunk greeted her cheerfully, offering her a plate stacked with pancakes. Allura smiled and took the plate from him, almost dropping it due to the sheer amount of food on it. 

"Ah- Thank you Hunk." The princess smiled and sat herself down next to Lance, who was busy stuffing his face with fried eggs. 

"She was probably dreaming about me, right princess?" Lance flashed a toothy grin, bits of food stuck in his teeth. Pidge rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the gut, causing him to choke on his forkful of food. The brunette boy hacked and gagged- and suddenly he was on the floor, face going blue. Hunk cried out and picked him up, giving the Heimlich maneuver- which led to Lance coughing out half-chewed egg right into Keith's face. 

"Are you kidding me?!" Keith got up from his seat and grabbed a fistful of syrupy waffles, and threw it straight at Lance who barely had anytime to recover. Hunk, who was still holding Lance, dropped him to the floor. 

"My art!" Hunk shrieked, bringing his hands to the side of his face. Lance picked himself up and and wiped the gooey food off of his face. 

"OH it is ON like DONKEY KONG." 

 

The two began fighting, ending with Shiro struggling to pull the two apart. It was usual chaos, as expected with the group of Earthlings. Allura however seemed to be in a whole other world, her thoughts occupying her mind. She stared down at her breakfast- although it looked delicious, she couldn't bring herself to eat. Amongst all the yelling and quarreling, Allura slipped out of the dining hall unnoticed and headed back to her bedroom. She sat herself down on her bed, her thoughts a crossway of confusion and agitation. 

She couldn't get the thought of him out of her head. His voice, his touch, those eyes. The thought of him touching her so.. intimately... it made her want to vomit. It made her sick. She had to remember. What did he do to her? Why was he alone with her? 

Why was she so afraid? 

Allura squeezed her eyes shut, trying to remember what exactly happened in her encounter with Lotor all those years ago. Deja vu came creeping up, the familiar feeling on the edge of her mind. Was that dream actually something that happened in the past? A faint knock on the door interrupted Allura's thoughts, followed by Coran asking if he could come in. Allura paused, not sure if she wanted company at that exact moment. 

"Allura? Are you in there?" 

"Ah- Yes, come in!" Allura sighed and put on a smile as Coran entered, looking worried once again. 

"You haven't eaten your breakfast, and left without saying a word. Are you still shaken from last night?" Coran questioned, resting his hands behind his back. Allura looked to the window, cradling her arm in her hand. 

"Coran..." Allura began, not sure how to ask the question she wanted to ask. 

"Yes princess?" Coran responded, genuinely wanting to help. 

"Do you... remember Prince Lotor?" Allura bit her lip, almost afraid of the answer. 

"...Lotor?" Coran repeated, his tone changing from concern to unease. 

"I dreamt of him last night." Allura gripped the hem of her dress, unable to look Coran in the eye. She didn't know why, but she felt ashamed. Coran sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, surprising the princess. "Coran?" 

"I'm sorry princess, I know it must be painful, having these memories." Said Coran, the soft of his facial hair rubbing against her neck. It reminded her of when she would hug her father, his beard felt the same way. 

"I think the amount of time I spent in stasis... affected my memory slightly. I've been having these dreams recently- all about the invasion, my father's death... and now him." Allura felt herself shake, she wrapped her arms around herself and let her head down. Coran brought his gloved hand to his chin, deep in thought. 

"That's not unusual. We did spend several millennia practically frozen in time. It's normal for your memories to come back in erratic doses." Coran shifted away from Allura, giving her space. "What exactly was your dream about?" Allura stiffened at the question, a hard lump forming in her throat. 

"I was...held captive. And he was there. Taunting me." Allura muttered, heat rising in her cheeks. Coran's expression softened, feeling sympathetic. 

"And that's what caused you to be so alarmed?" The older male responded. Allura nodded silently. 

 

“I...don’t know why it made me feel so fraught. I’ve never woken up like that before. It felt as if someone ripped me out of a coma. And… it was so real, so lifelike. I could feel his fingers, his gaze,” Allura began choking on her words, it was becoming strenuous to talk about. Coran lifted himself up and took Allura’s hands. 

“What you need is some rest, princess. You obviously didn’t get the sleep you deserved last night. I’ll go brew some tea and you stay right here.” 

Allura sputtered, the thought of laying in bed during daylight hours beyond her. 

“Excuse me? I can’t be doing that, the paladins need my guidance- they haven’t been able to form voltron yet! I, I need to be there for them!” Allura defended, wearily standing up from her bed. She stammered a bit, her posture faltering. She felt weak and lightheaded, like she was about to pass out. 

“Allura!” Coran caught her before she nearly collapsed to the floor, her eyes tired from lack of sleep. “I don’t care what you say young lady- you’re having a nap!”


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura's trying to keep her composure, but experiences traumatic flashbacks and disassociation. Warning for heavy themes of rape, victim blaming, and emotional abuse in this chapter. Long story short: Lotor is an ass and Allura is too hard on herself. Thankfully Shiro picked up that something was off with her and attempts to help. (More interaction between the two of them next chapter, I swear)

“Where did Allura head off too?” Shiro asked when he saw Coran making his way back to the dining area. The older male looked a tad worried, raising Shiro’s concerns further. “...Is she alright?” 

“Allura’s just feeling a bit faint. I suggest you and the paladins begin your training without her…..After we take care of this mess.” Coran responded, putting on a pot of water for tea. The brawl between Keith and Lance led to the table being a complete disaster. Shiro scanned the area, sighing. He folded his arms and turned to Pidge, Lance, Hunk, and Keith, who were all still bickering. Shiro cleared his throat loud enough for them to divert their attention to him. 

“Alright guys, you can’t spend the rest of the day goofing off. Let’s clean up so we can get to work.” 

While the others obliged, Lance groaned and reluctantly picked up his dishes, muttering to himself about how usually castles had maids do this stuff. 

The pot began whistling, and Coran began adding in several different spices and herbs, which caught Pidge’s attention. She approached curiously from behind, adjusting her glasses as she watched him brew the drink. 

“What are all of those? Altean flowers?” Pidge asked as she picked up a jar containing brightly colored petals, each varying in color. 

“They’re called Juniberries! Their aromatics are great for helping with uneasiness and anxiety.” 

Coran began rambling about the many different uses for the herbs, while Pidge poked around and examined the flora he had preserved. Shiro stopped in his tracks, reflecting on what Coran said. 

‘Anxiety…?’ 

Soon the paladins and him headed out to the courtyard for training, they had to practice forming voltron quick before a disaster strikes that would require it. As he headed to the black lion, Shiro couldn’t help but feel like Coran hadn’t told him what was really wrong with Allura. 

\--

The dim light of her lamp flickered, the princess lowered her eyes slowly, hands wrapped around the warm cup of tea Coran gave her. 

“I’ll be fine, really. There’s no need to keep an eye on me all day, Coran.” Allura assured the other, taking a sip of the sweet drink. Coran picked himself up from the chair beside the bed, leaning over to place a hand on Allura’s forehead. 

“You sure you don’t need anything princess? More tea? Something to eat? Maybe a-” 

Allura chuckled softly, taking Corans hand and holding it in hers. 

“I’m fine Coran, trust me.” 

“How about something to keep you busy at least? I’d hate to leave you here all alone.” 

Allura turned her head to the opposite end of her room, noticing the mice dozing off peacefully on top of the large bookshelf. 

“Something to read would be nice…” Allura trailed off, Coran eagerly rushing over with an armful of books before she could finish her sentence. Most of them were books from her childhood- fairytales and photo albums. There were also books on poetry, texts on different cultures across the galaxy, and Altean history books. 

 

“These should keep you company!” Coran splayed them across the bed for Allura to examine and choose. “Well, I’ll be heading off, just call me if you need me princess.” 

“Thank you, Coran.” Allura smiled back at the other. 

Coran affectionately tucked a loose strand of white hair behind Allura’s ear and left the room, leaving the door open ajar. Allura set her cup down on her bedside table and sat up, looking over the variety of books. It had been such a long time since she got a chance to sit down and relax, and just read, without a care in the world. She didn’t exactly have that privilege now, seeing as she should have been spending her time on more pressing matters, like creating a plan to take down Zarkon, or training with the paladins. But there was no way Coran would’ve let her leave her room- no matter how much she negotiated.

She sighed, bringing a fist to her chin, deciding which book she could read. It was all a bit overwhelming, she didn’t know where to start- but a single one caught her eye. It was a diary, one she kept when she was only eleven. 

 

Allura reluctantly picked it up, eyeing it hesitantly. It was a shiny pearlescent white, with her own name embroidered on the cover. 

‘I forgot I had this…’ 

She thumbed through the pages, opening up to a random page near the beginning. 

It was filled with countless paragraphs, her prepubescent scribbles hard to decipher. Most were recollections of the balls held at the castle, her days in school, spending time with her mother and father. As she read, Allura could feel tears gathering at the bridge of her eyes, her chest growing tight. She was much younger then, much more innocent, a concept she had long forgotten. She didn’t have a care in the world, her only worries being her future as an Altean ruler. As she searched through the pages, she stopped when she saw something that caught her eye. It was an entry she made during spring, when she first met Lotor. 

\--

The days were long and warm, vibrant flowers blossomed and thrived. The castle’s garden was absolutely beautiful, one of Allura’s favorite places to spend her time. Flowers of all kinds, from all around Altea and the galaxy, gathered in one area. She spent countless hours there, reading poetry, her mother brushing her hair while they basked in the sun and took in the atmosphere, studying her subjects for her schooling. It was a peaceful place where many happy memories were created, but now, it was gone. 

 

She first met the young prince in that very garden, her father introduced her to him. Alfor encouraged them to get along as he and the fellow king went off to discuss Galra-Altean relations. He was slightly taller than her, his hair tied back, showing off his sharp facial features. He was shy, a bit put off by the other. The princess on the other hand, was actually quite eager to talk to him. She was immediately invested, asking him about what he liked to do for fun and if he wanted to play any games she knew. 

 

While their fathers argued and compromised, the two formed a bond. The two had no idea that while they were with each other, war was on the brink. Back then, they were so unknowing, oblivious of what was conspiring behind closed doors. And she never would have thought, that in any universe, he could change into the monster he did. But she supposed that’s what happens, a Galra can pretend to be as kind as they want- but deep down they’re just savages. Beings who betray and take joy in causing others pain. 

 

Against her better judgement, Allura kept reading. The writing made her feel an uncomfortable mix of nostalgia and contempt. How could she have allowed herself to become to taken with him? How could she have not have seen it sooner? All those years spent, naively trusting him, and look where that got her. 

This was all her fault, wasn’t it?

And then they stopped seeing each other so often. The Galra empire declared war, and Zarkon stopped coming to the castle with Lotor. The war put stress on the entire royal Altean family, her mother grew ill, her father stressed beyond description- and Allura was all alone again. Lotor’s presence in her childhood was merely a memory now. The war had gone on for years without her seeing or even thinking of him.

It wasn’t until one day, when Galra forces stormed the castle, that she saw him again. The soldiers took her, and as much of a fight she could have put up- it was futile. They knocked her out, her whole world going black suddenly. She couldn’t see anything, but could hear screaming, fighting, guns being shot, bodies falling to the floor. She didn’t know exactly what happened after that, but could piece it together. They must have taken her aboard a ship, and locked her away in a cold, dark cell. To be left there until someone came along to threaten her for information, intimidate her, beat her, kill her. 

 

Or do something worse. 

 

She didn’t expect him to be her captor, but when Allura did see Lotor, it felt like needles on skin. A surge of denial and panic, thinking to herself ‘this can’t possibly be happening.’ There he stood, right in front of her, triumphant and grinning. He was older now, just like she was. They had been apart for so long, developed such vastly different personalities. The contrast between the two was staggering, hung in the air like dead weight. He spoke cruelly, had a commanding stance, he ridiculed her, taunted her, telling her in explicit detail how her parents could be dead at any moment. The memory was still fuzzy, but his voice was clear in her head, and no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t shut it out. 

“Trust me, Allura. There’s no getting out of your binds. We’ll have you here for a long time.” 

“I’ve overestimated you, Allura. I thought you were a strong fighter, but it’s clear to see I was wrong.” 

“Your defeat was inevitable. One by one, all those who stand in the way of the Galra empire will perish.” 

 

He spit them out like venom, grabbing her by the chin, pulling her hair, forcing her to look him in the eye. The worst thing was- she couldn’t even talk back. He had a soldier gag her. She was trying her best not to let him get to her. She couldn’t break, but steadily he worked his way to her bigger insecurities. 

“Something like this was bound to happen in the future anyway. You’re just as incompetent as your father.” He was too close for comfort, his breath hot on her cheeks. He placed a gentle hand on the side of her face, smiling innocuously. She grimaced, his false displays of affection nauseating her. 

-

 

Allura gripped the edges of her diary, her tears landing on the pages and forming dark stains. The ink blurred and bled through the paper. She shut it tight, she had to stop thinking about it- stop remembering him and what he did. There was no use in crying over him, but here she was, doing it anyway. It was humiliating, she chided herself internally as she shoved the diary off of the bed and curled up in a ball. There was no use in obsessing over it, in crying over it and feeling sorry for herself. She had to shut it out. Shut it out. She had to think about something else, focus on anything but this, but it was almost as if she was there all over again. She clasped her hands over her ears, trying to shut out that repeating noise in her head. He wasn’t there- she must’ve been delusional. Why was she hearing him? She was all alone, why, why, why was this happening-

She wasn’t in the safety of her bedroom anymore, it felt like she completely disappeared from the castle completely. 

Instead, she was back on the ship again, with him hovering over her. 

He now had her pinned to the floor, his figure smothering her. It was at that point when she was begging him, sobbing, pleading for him to stop, please. Instead he merely laughed, her cries falling on deaf ears. He was acting just like they friends again, as if there was nothing wrong with what he was currently doing. To him it was all game, and Allura had to wonder who taught him this was okay to do to a person. 

 

It was painful, worse than anything Allura had ever endured in the past. It felt like knives, hot, searing pain shooting through her entire being. She screamed, begging for mercy, but he didn’t intend on showing her any.

“I’ve always wanted to do this.” He said breathlessly, enjoying himself as the girl beneath him bit her lip and failed to hold back tears. “I’ve dreamed of you, you know. I’ve fantasized about this for years.” Allura cringed, the tone he was using too friendly and eager. He was acting as if they were children again, enjoying each other’s company in the garden, rather than violating her and taking whatever dignity she had left. 

 

“You’re pathetic, Allura.” 

Don’t say my name like that.

“I’ll show you how truly inferior you are compared to me.” 

 

Please. 

“...and to think I used to respect you. Now look at you.”

 

Stop. 

 

“If only your people could see you now, in such a degrading position. Then they’ll truly know what it means to lose all hope. 

 

STOP. 

She felt hands, suffocating, groping, grabbing at her mercilessly. She was covering herself with her thin bed sheets, but all she could feel was friction and rough skin.

She was a child again. Helpless, scared. Vulnerable. 

He was grunting, heaving, pushing her face against the cold hard floor. He was inside of her, grinding harshly against her, both the thought and feeling of it horrifying. The only thing she saw was the puddle her tears formed, and her disheveled hair thrown across the concrete. He leaned in close, whispered in her ear. 

“I’d really like to make you mine, Allura.” 

Allura felt his sharp nails raking down her backside, his weight crushing her, his eyes hungry and ravenous. It felt as if it had gone on for hours, she began losing track of time, her head spinning and her eyes glazed over, dried out. She managed to speak, her voice croaking and raspy. 

 

“Please.” 

“You have no one to blame for this but yourself.” He hissed, roughly taking a handful of her hair and pulling it, her back arching against her will. She gasped loudly, pain searing her scalp. The position made it impossible for her to speak, her only option to listen to his commentary. 

“...And to think that at one point I respected you. It’s obvious that this is all you’re good for.” Lotor led his hands from her hair to the nape of her neck, wrapped around tightly with precision. His eyes narrowed, his mouth a predatory sneer. She felt the life being sucked out of her once again. 

She couldn’t breathe.

She couldn’t breathe. 

Why couldn’t she breathe.

 

He wasn’t here. He couldn’t be. 

Allura eventually snapped out of her trance. She found herself laying on the floor tangled in her sheets, clutching onto them like a frightened animal. She was choking on her own saliva, panicking. She kicked off the blankets and rushed to the bathroom, almost missing the toilet as she vomited. It came uncontrollably rushing out of her throat, almost painfully so. She gasped for air, desperately trying to regain her momentum as her heartbeat increased. She was hyperventilating, clutching her nightgown in a frenzy. She slowly calmed down, sitting next to the toilet, sobbing quietly. She had no idea what exactly just happened, it was definitely no nightmare this time. She was awake and alert- she was experiencing it all over again, much to her horror. 

Why was this happening. 

Why couldn’t she just forgot it had ever happened? Why was she having these horrid delusions? Something so shameful and agonizing, it made her want to scream, to yell, to rip her hair out. Then she felt the taste of something bitter on her tongue. Allura soon realized that she was biting her lip so hard that it was bleeding. She wiped the blood off with her finger, it didn’t even faze her at this point. She sighed deeply, and leaned against the wall, bringing her head to her hands. She shut her eyes tight, fresh tears falling down her face, blending with her skin. 

She sat there for a few minutes, too afraid to move her hands and look up, the biting fear that he could be there, right in front of her, nagging her. It was ridiculous, she knew. But right now she wasn’t concerned with logic, because fear was taking over. She continued to chew on her lip, combing fingers through her messy hair. She couldn’t just stay in there all day. She had to get up eventually, fix herself, make herself presentable, and get over this silly tantrum she was having. 

She had to, but she didn’t want to do anything less. 

Then there was a knock on the door. 

“Allura?” 

It wasn’t Coran, it was Shiro. 

The princess tensed up, it was like she forgot to speak. 

“...Allura? Can I come in?” 

“Ah, just a moment!” She cringed when she heard how raspy her voice was, it made it sound obvious that she was just crying. She shakily reached out to the counter and picked herself up, and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her long hair was unkempt, her eyes tired and worried, her face stained heavily with tears. She was an absolute mess.

There was no way she could let him see her like this.


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro and Allura have a talk, and Allura's able to calm down a bit. Sorry this one was slightly shorter than the previous chapters, I just wanted to end it on a decent note. Much more fluffiness to come in the next chapter.

He was trying to ignore it, but a gnawing feeling at the back of Shiro’s head told him that something wasn’t right. That he should check on Allura, make sure she was alright. At breakfast she looked quiet and withdrawn, which was unusual for her, he noted. She would be just as talkative and vibrant as the others, making conversation and telling them the plans for the day. There was a chance that he should just mind his business and be there for Hunk, Lance, Keith, and Pidge, but he wasn’t the type to ignore things like that. Especially when it came to the princess.

 

Maybe it was just him being too much of a worrier, but he always felt the need to protect her, even if they weren’t in any kind of serious threat at the moment. From the moment he met her, he felt like it was his duty to keep her safe in particular. He admired her strength, her confidence, the way she was able to deal with difficult situations with precision. He respected her, but also wanted to watch over her, just like Coran did. Shiro knew he wouldn’t be able to fathom how she could feel, knowing everyone she ever loved has been dead for thousands of years, and the menace responsible is still alive and tormenting other civilizations. In a way, they had both been through the same nightmare when it came to Zarkon, and he wanted to be there for her to support her as much as he could.

After an hour or so of training, Shiro finally decided to go check up on Allura. He instructed the paladins to keep sparring, leaving them alone in the training arena. He wiped a sheen of sweat from his forehead, his white cotton shirt sticking to his muscular frame. He stopped himself in front of a large mirror, noticing how unkempt he looked from the session. He ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to fix it. Slightly satisfied, he continued his way throughout the castle. It was large and quite confusing to navigate- he wasn’t actually that sure of where he needed to go. As he made his way down the corridor, he heard bare feet hitting the wooden floors, heavy breathing and faint sobbing. Shiro immediately followed the noise, and found himself outside the bathroom door near Allura’s quarters. 

Shiro shifted uncomfortably, closing and opening his fist, not knowing what to do with his hands in that moment. He knew he shouldn’t, but was tempted to open up the door and see what was going on in there. 

“...Is everything alright?” He slowly placed his hand around the knob, worried about what he might find behind it. Before he could twist the handle, the door came swishing open, Allura stood there in her nightgown smiling. 

“Sorry, Shiro, did you need to use the bathroom?” 

“Ah, no, I just wanted to make sure everything was fine. Coran told me you weren’t feeling well this morning.” Shiro placed his hand behind his head, a slight blush spreading across his features. Allura sighed, feeling her muscles tense up. 

 

“I appreciate the concern, but there’s no need to worry, I’m fine.” Allura mustered up a smile, still not convincing the man in front of her. 

“...Are you positive there’s nothing wrong?”

“I’m sure of it. Why do you ask?” Allura’s voice was shaking, she swallowed a hard lump in her throat. 

“Well, I heard crying.” 

 

Allura could feel her heart skip a beat, her face flushed intensely. Was she actually that loud? She stuttered, trying to come up with a feasible explanation. “I- I wasn’t crying, just…. You must have heard something else-” Allura’s voice trailed away as she began softly hiccuping, small droplets of tears rolling down her cheeks once again. Shiro’s eyes widened with concern and he immediately wiped the tears from her face, as gently as he possibly could. Allura was surprised by the sudden contact, she took a step back and nearly tripped over her dress in the process.

“Allura!”

As she faltered, Shiro caught her in his arms, and embraced her whole figure. She made a faint whining noise, almost as if she were in pain. Slowly, they both sank to the floor, Shiro still hugging Allura loosely. She was crying, looking at him straight in the eyes with tears streaming down her cheeks. 

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately.” She blurted out, not used to showing her vulnerable side to others, especially a man she just met two weeks ago. “I- I’m sorry. I should get back to bed-” She tried to stand up, her legs were wobbling and she was holding onto the counter for support. Shiro picked himself up and held her from behind, not wanting her to fall over. 

 

“Allura! You don’t have to apologize- What happened?” 

“I- it’s nothing, I’m just not feeling myself lately.” She spoke in tremors, choking on her words. Her eyes were watering, and she blinked trying to shut the tears out. “I- I’m sorry, you don’t have to worry about me.” Before Shiro could say anything else she picked herself up and rushed out of the room, leaving the older man alone. He immediately followed, but at soon as he left the bathroom, he had no idea what direction she turned to. The labyrinth-like hallways were like a hazy blur in that moment, his adrenaline making it hard to focus. 

Then he heard music. 

It was a soft, calm melody that sounded like it was being played on a piano. He followed the sound of it, and it led him to a room he hadn’t been in before. He peeked inside, to see Allura sitting down on the floor, curled in a ball and hugging her knees. It was a large, mostly empty room with little furniture. Paintings and portraits of what looked to be other Altean royals hung on the walls, surrounded Allura and looking down upon her. In front of her was what looked to be some sort of Altean stereo, playing the music he heard from before. She looked more calm now, more content. Her eyes were red but the tears had stopped. She just looked tired, upset. He didn’t know what to do and it frustrated him. He wanted to help her, but at the same time, he didn’t want to intrude and bother her. Shiro sighed, closing the door gently to leave. 

Allura could hear the sound of the door creaking shut, and lifted her head to catch a glance of Shiro’s white tuft of hair disappearing before he left. She sighed, burying her head deep into her knees. 

Why did she let him see her like that.

It was so humiliating. 

She hated how Lotor had this effect on her. 

He was nowhere near her, and yet, still had the power to make her cry, and turn into a weak sobbing mess. Shiro probably felt pity, thinking of her as pathetic, or feeble. The thought of it made her guts wrench. She balled up her fists and grabbed her hair in frustration. She lifted her head, looking up at the mirror hanging above the music player. She could see herself, hair tangled and face washed over with tears. 

‘What would father think of me now, seeing me like this…’ 

The song came to an end, and another began playing. It was a collection of songs that her father used to play on the piano, from when she was a child. Listening to them had calmed her down somewhat, at least. 

\--

As the day passed on and the hours passed, Allura found the courage to go speak to Shiro after what happened. She found him in the sparring area, taking a drink from a water bottle, gasping for air as he let it out of his mouth. He panted, wiping the sweat from his head and turned to see Allura watching. She blushed and held her hands behind her back sheepishly. 

“...Hi princess.”

“Hello Shiro. Are you here alone?” 

“Yeah, I told the paladins to take a short break.” 

Relieved, Allura tucked a loose strand of hair behind her pointed ear, averting her gaze from Shiro’s intense stare. 

 

“That’s… good. I just came by because I wanted to apologize for what happened earlier today-”

“Apologize?! Allura, why do you keep saying that? You didn’t do anything wrong!” Shiro responded quickly, not letting her finish. “If something’s bothering you, you can tell me. I don’t know how things work on Altea, but back on Earth we shared our feelings with those we cared about.” 

Allura hesitated for a second, her face flushing. She was nervous being alone with Shiro in that moment, and couldn’t find the courage to find what she wanted to say. She kept her eyes glued to the floor, cradling her arms in one another. Shiro sighed, placing his water bottle down on a bench. 

“I’m sorry, that was a bit sudden of me. You- you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, Allura. I just want to make sure you’re feeling fine is all.” 

“You don’t have to worry, Shiro. I was just… having some nightmares.” Allura bit her tongue, she didn’t mean to let that slip out. 

“Why wouldn’t I worry? You were...crying. And you don’t have to feel guilty, you aren’t inconveniencing me, if that's what you're thinking.” Shiro took a step forward and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, rubbing it softly. “You don't have to be ashamed. Everyone has nightmares from time to time, even I do.” 

“....You do?” Allura questioned, raising a brow innocently. Shiro looked to the wall, swallowing a lump in his throat. 

“Well, of course. Being held captive by Zarkon for several years can do that to you.”

In that instant Allura felt a bit of shame, her problems felt trivial compared to what Shiro had gone through. She only had one horrid encounter with Lotor, while Shiro spent god knows how long being tortured in a prison cell. She brought her gaze back to his, her expression empathetic. 

“I’m sorry Shiro. I can’t imagine how terrible that must be for you.” 

 

Shiro smiled, feeling a bit embarrassed. His face was red, either from the work out or Allura’s stare. Most likely both. 

“It… doesn’t happen that often really. I managed to get over it.” 

“You… got over them? You mean they went away? Completely?” Allura questioned, her eyes widened with hope and wonderment. Shiro lifted his hand and rested it behind his neck, rubbing it. 

“I wish I could say that. When something like that happens to you Allura, it never really…. Goes away. You just have to find ways to cope with it.” He explained, taking a seat on the bench and gesturing for her to come over. Allura sat down next to him, straightening out her dress and taking care not to sit on it so it would wrinkle. 

“What do you mean by cope?” 

“Well...sometimes, if I’m ever...having a flashback, or just having a hard time falling asleep, I’ll find myself hyperventilating. So I hold my breath,” Shiro stopped talking, and took a deep inhale. “...and I count to three, and I exhale.” He let out a deep breath, then looked to Allura, who was intently watching. “I know it might not work for everyone, but it’s something I’ve done since I was younger.” 

Allura then mimicked him, taking in a deep breath and holding it in before exhaling. She did it a few times before Shiro wrapped his arm around her back, and rested his head on her shoulder. The movement surprised her, her cheeks turning almost as pink as the markings on her face. It was an unusual position for the two of them to be in, but, she didn’t deny that it comforted her. Shiro’s body was toned and sharp, but was also warm and soft, almost like a pillow. They sat like that for a few minutes in silence, it was calming and, for the first time in awhile, Allura felt genuinely content. It wasn’t too long before Shiro began talking again, before he could fall asleep right on Allura’s soft locks. 

“By the way, what was that music you were playing before? It sounded really nice.” 

“Oh...that was something my father played. Him and I used to play piano together when I was very little.” Allura replied, her voice almost a whisper. “I’m glad you enjoyed it as well.” 

“Maybe that was your way of coping. You listened to it to calm yourself down, right?” 

Allura thought to herself for a moment, taking in what Shiro said. 

“I suppose you could say that.”

Shiro lifted his head from the princess shoulder and took his hand to her chin, gently turning her head to face him. She was taken aback, blushing lightly. 

“..What was your nightmare even about to make you so upset?” 

Allura looked down at the floor, focusing on her and Shiro’s feet next to each other. 

“...I don’t remember, to be honest.” 

“You don’t remember?”

“Well, I do, but...I don't think I can talk about it just yet." Allura paused, thinking for a moment. "Can I ask, what were your dreams like? The ones that made you frightened?” 

Shiro shifted slightly, resting his hands on his knees. 

“Well, they were disturbing. Incredibly...vivid and lifelike, and I remember I felt as if I was back on the ship at the time. I didn’t have them every night, that was the hard part. When I went to bed, I had no idea whether I would have a normal, peaceful sleep, or...a dream where I was being held captive." 

Shiro slowly trailed off, folding his hands together and sighing. 

"Sorry, I shouldn't be pitying myself right now. I wanted to comfort you, not sit here and feel sorry for myself." 

Allura placed her hand on Shiro's shoulder, catching him off guard. 

"Shiro. You told me there was nothing wrong with discussing my problems. You should be able to do the same as well." She smiled warmly, her eyes watery. Shiro chuckled softly and smiled back. 

"You're right, Allura. I guess it's just force of habit. No one really likes showing their vulnerable side."

"...I feel the same way. Before when I was crying in front of you, I felt so, humiliated, pathetic. Like I was letting you down. It was a sign of weakness, and when you're in charge of the fate of the universe, you can't afford to act weak."

"Crying isn't something to be humiliated about Allura. Just because you cry, it doesn't mean you're pathetic or weak. You've been through a lot, more than I can ever imagine. You're still strong and respectable, and you're still...a leader." Shiro replied, his warm brown eyes meeting her cool blue ones. She smiled, and took his hands, holding them in her lap. Shiro laughed quietly, half out of nervousness and half out of happiness. He liked being held by her, her fingers soft and delicate, tracing the veins and scars of his hands.

"Thank you, Shiro. I appreciate it. I really needed to hear that."

Shiro grinned, trying to hide how flustered he was in that moment. 

"I'm glad I could help."


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one's a little shorter than usual. Hope you like it anyway!

The hours passed, the day almost coming to an end. The orange sun was setting, it’s bright rays gleaming throughout scattered clouds in the sky. It was beautiful, reminding Shiro of the sunsets back on Earth. It had been a long time since he was able to take the time and experience something so peaceful and tranquil. The two of them were sitting together, alone on a balcony at the far end of the castle. Allura held his hand in hers, while Shiro was resting his head on her shoulder. It was tempting to fall asleep right then and there, but he knew he had to get back to the paladins. If he left them alone for too long, who knows what they’d get into without his supervision 

As he shifted his body to pick himself up, Allura turned to him. 

“Thank you for sitting with me, Shiro. It was nice spending time with you.” 

Shiro smiled and extended his hand to help her stand up. 

“Not a problem. If you ever want to talk again, I’m always here.” 

Allura let out a sigh of content, right before hugging him gently. “I won’t keep you much longer, just promise you won’t mention what happened to anyone, ok?” She placed her hands on his shoulders and gave him a stern but sympathetic look. The white haired man nodded, giving Allura a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 

“You have nothing to worry about.” 

Shiro left the balcony, leaving Allura alone with her thoughts once more. It was warm, the sun’s light directly hitting her and bathing her in it’s heat. It shined in her hair, bringing out it’s natural highlights, giving off a pearlescent look to it. Allura sat down, interlocking her fingers with one another. She lowered her eyes, enjoying the scenery around her. 

“Allura! There you are!” 

 

The princess turned around to see Coran, looking exasperated. 

“You weren’t in your bedroom, I looked everywhere!” The older man rushed over to Allura, keeling over and gasping for breath. Allura stood up to help him, placing her hand gently on his back. 

 

“Coran, you didn’t have to worry. I was just having a conversation with Shiro.” Allura explained, smiling sheepishly. “There’s no need to panic.” Coran, finally caught up with his breath, stood up straight. 

“Shiro? What were you talking to him about?” 

Allura blushed lightly and tucked a loose strand of white hair behind her ear, averting her gaze. 

 

“Ah.. nothing important.” 

“Well, I’m surprised to see you out of bed. You’re feeling fine already?” Coran questioned, following Allura as she made her way back into the interior of the castle. 

“I think I’m feeling better. Not perfect, but...better than before.” 

\-- 

“Alright paladins, starting tomorrow, we’re going to be pushing into high gear! No more slacking or funny business, because from now on I expect you all to be putting in your best effort!” Allura announced to the dinner table. Her eyes glittered with determination while everyone else listened intently with bated breath. “I have faith in all of you that you can form Voltron. There was a reason you were all selected by your own individual lions, it wasn’t merely coincidence. So no more second guessing, no more half hearted training, and no more whining! You’re all strong, capable warriors. You may not realize it yet, but it’s the truth.” Allura paused, taking a deep breath. “We’ll all be able to defeat Zarkon- together!” 

Lance, Pidge, and Hunk stood up and began cheering loudly, while keith grinned with his arms folded. As Allura sat herself down to begin eating with the others, Shiro smiled, happy she was able to snap back to her usual self. 

 

“Tomorrow we’ll begin focusing more on bonding with our lions, an emotional connection is just as important as your physical training.” Shiro added, making eye contact with Allura.

Soon, the sun had completely set, and the paladins had finished dinner and were off to bed. Allura made her way down the hallway to her bedroom, sighing with unease. Another night, another uncertainty of what lay ahead of her. For some reason, she felt nervous. It was almost like her heart was racing, and the corridor she traveled was never ending. 

Footsteps. 

She heard someone approaching from behind. 

She immediately turned herself around, stumbling backwards with fright when she saw Shiro right behind her. She gasped, and he brought his hands up in defense. 

“Allura, I wanted to talk to you-” 

Before he could finish his sentence, Allura slapped his hand away. 

“What were you doing? Why were you just following me in the dark? Were you trying to give me a heart attack?!” Allura shouted, her adrenaline raised. Shiro’s expression softened when he saw the princess’s eyes begin to water. 

“I- I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” He cleared his throat and shifted his gaze to the floor. “I just wanted to make sure you were feeling good enough to go to sleep. I know you said you were having nightmares…” 

Allura sighed, folding her arms. 

“Of course I’m fine, you’ve no need to follow me like that.” She then noticed Shiro holding something tightly in his fist. “...What do you have there?” She questioned. 

 

“Oh, this is what I wanted to give you.” Shiro unfolded his fingers and handed a small white pill to Allura. “It’s something to help you fall asleep easier. I forgot I had them on me.” 

Allura reluctantly accepted it, examining it cautiously. “...Thank you.” 

“No problem. Just take it with water.” 

A moment of silence passed, both of them standing in front of each other but not looking at the other. 

 

“Well, I’ll just… be going to bed then. Thank you again, Shiro.”

 

“...Yeah. Night.” 

Shiro turned around, and made his way back to where he and the paladins slept. He sighed in frustration, mentally chiding himself. 

‘What the hell is wrong with me, why did I have to sneak up on her like that.’ 

He entered his room, kicking off his shoes and throwing himself on the bed. He closed his eyes, and slowly, drifted off to sleep.

\--

The only source of light was the moon, its rays coming in through the window of Allura’s bedroom. After taking the pill Shiro had given her, she sat on her bed, wondering what would come after she closed her eyes. She definitely didn’t want what happened from earlier that day to happen again. She couldn’t stomach the thought of having yet another gut wrenching nightmare like the last one. Hopefully, what Shiro had given her would work. 

She sighed, stirring in her bed and turning her pillow over, trying to find a decent way of sleeping. Allura found herself frustrated, no matter what position, she couldn’t get comfortable. It was like her bed was too big, too empty. Almost like a monster of some kind could easily make it’s way inside and slither under the covers. But at the same time, she wished, just for a second, that there was someone else to share the bed with her. 

The thought crossed her mind, asking Shiro to come share the bed with her. 

 

It made her blush intensely, she tried to get the idea of it out of her head. 

She was a grown woman, she didn’t need anyone to take care of her or baby her.

She couldn’t deny she liked the idea of it, though. 

Soon, Alllura had fallen asleep, mind completely turned off. 

And she couldn't even begin to prepare herself for what was to come.


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm sorry I haven't updated in over a month, truth be told, I haven't had much writing inspiration AT ALL :/ I was having a really hard time wrapping this up, so this chapter is short, sweet, and to the point. I would have felt bad leaving this story with no conclusion, so I thought I'd end it here. I might write an epilogue, if the mood strikes. thank you all for reading!

As Shiro lay alone in his bed, hands resting underneath his head, he couldn’t help but feel like something was off. It was cool in his room, with fresh air being blown in by the vent on the ceiling. Instead of relaxing him it made him uneasy. He was laying on top of the covers, eyes half lidded and sore. He was tired, that was for sure. So why, why couldn’t he sleep? What was it that was bothering him so much?

 

Maybe he just wasn’t used to it being so deafeningly quiet. 

Or that he was worried about Allura. 

Why was he? He shouldn’t be, nothing bad was going to happen. 

 

He was just being paranoid and overreacting. 

He closed his eyes shut and shifted to the other side of the bed, grunting. 

There was a lot about Allura he didn’t know about, that was for sure. Although it wasn’t as if she were quiet or shy- she had no problem sharing her opinion and asserting herself. She didn’t keep things to herself and was always eager to take charge in any situation- but that was the side of her he was used to seeing. Admittedly, it felt odd seeing Allura so vulnerable before. She was still the same person- but she acted completely differently. It was like she was ashamed of herself. The thought of her keeping her problems to herself, carrying her burdens all alone...made him feel sick. 

He hoped tomorrow she’d come to him if she needed to. 

\--

Allura knew she was dreaming. The only thing was, she didn’t know how to wake up.

She was running, her body was aching, pulsating with every frantic step she took. She turned her head to see fire, raging towards her with increasing speed. She gasped, choking, finding herself unable to breath all of a sudden. She fell, collapsing on what felt to be hard aluminum. She picked herself up, her long hair clouding her vision and covering her face. Allura clutched her chest and coughed, finding herself surrounded by an enraged gulf of flames, smothering her. 

 

It didn’t feel hot. But it stung. 

It felt painful. It felt like hands, grabbing her, attempting to tug her down, pulling on her arms and dress. She wanted to scream, her voice caught in the back of her throat. But no matter how hard Allura tried, she couldn’t open her mouth. 

It all happened so fast.

Everything went black, and she found herself next to her father’s body. He was dying. Allura’s eyes widened, taking a step back. She brought her hand to her mouth, expecting it to let out a scream, yet nothing came. She felt numb. 

Why was this happening? Why was she forced to see this? Why couldn’t she just forget?

That was all she wanted.

To forget any of this ever happened to her. 

But then her father, in front of her, stopped breathing. 

Around her, a cloud of memories appeared. One by one, all surrounding her, almost like they were taunting her. 

Her entire family dying, her planet being destroyed, her people being killed, Lotor…

Lotor raping her. 

There was no sugar coating it. No denying it. Allura balled her fists into her hair and screamed, hot tears of frustration rolling down her face. 

Then she woke up. 

\--

The next day, everything went like clockwork. As the sun fell, Allura managed the courage to talk to Shiro, telling him everything that happened in her dream. He was tense, so was she. He had her hand in his as they talked, squeezing it occasionally. As Shiro got up to head to his bed, Allura took him by the hand. He stopped in his tracks and turned, not expecting to be kissed on the cheek by her. 

She was glad she had him to talk to. 

The dreams never really went away because she had Shiro to help, but he made it easier. 

And as she lay next to him in her bed, hugging him from behind, she couldn’t ask for anything else.


End file.
